As is well known, the human vertibrae or spinal column is comprised of seven cervical vertebrae, twelve thoracic vertebrae, and five lumbar vertebrae. The vertebrae are disposed in a stacked array and interposed between the same are fibrocartilages or discs. Thirty-one pairs of spinal nerves are also associated with the spinal column, and the nerves are sometimes adversely affected by means of the relative disposition of one or more vertebrae whereby severe pain results. For example, an accident, fall, uneven stress, tension, over-exertion, or the like, can cause a minor displacement or misalignment of one or more of the vertebrae which, in turn, can cause pressure to be exerted upon spinal nerve roots.
It has additionally been found that if the particular misaligned vertebrae is re-aligned in conjunction with the residual, properly aligned vertebrae, the pressure upon the spinal nerves is alleviated and, consequently, the pain suffered by the person is relieved. The re-alignment of the misaligned vertebrae is normally accomplished as a result of pressure being applied to the particularly afflicted areas of the body, and in accordance with these principles, prior art therapeutic appliances have been developed in order to provide such counterpressure to the affected body regions.
Prior art appliances of the aforenoted type are exemplified by those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,178,922 (J. D. Curlee) and French Patent No. 1,461,408 (M. Gross) These appliances include an inflatable bladder means which seeks to exert counterpressure at a precise body location as a result of the inflated expansion thereof. It has been found, however, that such appliances, and, in particular, U.S. Pat. No. 4,178,922, while exerting the desired counterpressure at the precise body locations, do not and cannot, in fact, provide an effective and comfortable support to the entire muscle mass related to the lumbar region of the lower back. This is particularly characteristic of appliances applied to the posterior lumbar region of the body, where, due to the necessity of providing specific counterpressure to a precise spinal location, by means such as an inflated bladder, such prior art appliances have been unable to provide simultaneous deliberate and comfortable counterpressure and support to the muscle mass connected with the lumbar region.
In the early devices made by the inventor, described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,178,922 and 4,178,923, the devices were limited commercially and therapeutically by their structure and ability to conform to the human body. For example, the air pockets of the early Curlee patents were generally pocketed in shape, as opposed to the present invention's corrugated configuration. The present invention is finally crescent shaped when inflated and more adequately conforms to the contours of the body. See FIG. 1 for an illustration of the improved elements which constitute the present invention. It is evident further that the original Curlee patents were restricted to use by people in a work environment.
Thus, the present invention involves a tapering corrugated inflation strip with spaced-agent air-tight envelopes attached to a rigid or semi-rigid backing. The tapering is designed so that the belt clears the ribs and iliac crests. The manner in which the air pockets or bladder is attached to the semi-rigid membrane controls the application of pressure to specific points along the lumbar region.
Further, when such prior art appliances such as Gross, above, are normally employed, adequate contact and pressurization of the afflicted body region is attempted to be accomplished by means of increased tightening of the appliance about the wearer's body or increasing the degree of pressurization of the bladder generally. Such modes of practice can be dangerous in that other portions of the body are deleteriously affected. Particularly, where increased tightening of the appliance is attempted to effect greater pressurization of the afflicted body region, such tightening serves to dangerously constrict the cardio-vascular network of the body and generally provides increased discomfort to the wearer.
Similarly, as a result of elastic properties in the case of bladder devices, wherein bladders have a high coefficient of stretchability, as the pressure therein is increased, the contact area defined between the bladder and the body is increased and the cardiovascular network of the body is severely constricted in a manner similar to that accomplished by means of a conventional blood pressure cuff. Prolonged usage of such appliances can result in major complications, such as, for example, renal isclemia, muscle spasms, or arteriosclerosis-related problems.
Still further, in the case of such prior art appliances utilizing individual longitudinal air cell pockets of material exhibiting a low coefficient of stretchability, adequate contact and counterpressure at precise body locations is accomplished and maintained without the threat of constricting the body's cardiovascular network, but at the expense of failing to provide a more generalized and effective support to the muscle structure of the lower back region related to the sacro-lumbar region of the spinal column.